Поющие в терновнике

           IlostFrankintheworstwayamothercould;Ican’tevenseehimandIlongto…Youwait!You’llloseDane,too."

           "NotifIcanhelpit.YoulostFrankbecausehecouldn’tpullintandemwithDaddy.ImadesureDanehadnodaddytoharnesshim.I’llharnesshiminstead,toDrogheda.WhydoyouthinkI’mmakingastockmanoutofhimalready?He’llbesafeonDrogheda."

           "WasDaddy?WasStuart?Nowhereissafe.Andyouwon’tkeepDanehereifhewantstogo.Daddydidn’tharnessFrank.Thatwasit.Frankcouldn’tbeharnessed.Andifyouthinkyou,awoman,canharnessRalphdeBricassart’sson,you’vegotanotherthinkcoming.Itstandstoreason,doesn’tit?Ifneitherofuscouldholdthefather,howcanwehopetoholdtheson?"

           "TheonlywayIcanloseDaneisifyouopenyourmouth,Mum.AndI’mwarningyou,I’dkillyoufirst."

           "Don’tbother,I’mnotworthswingingfor.Yoursecret’ssafewithme;I’mjustaninterestedonlooker.Yesindeed,that’sallIam.Anonlooker."

           "Oh,Mum!Whatcouldpossiblyhavemadeyoulikethis?Whylikethis,sounwillingtogive?"

           Feesighed."Eventswhichtookplaceyearsbeforeyouwereevenborn,"shesaidpathetically.

           ButMeggieshookherfistvehemently."Oh,no,youdon’t!Afterwhatyou’vejusttoldme?You’renotgoingtogetawaywithfloggingthatdeadhorsetomeeveragain!Rubbish,rubbish,rubbish!Doyouhearme,Mum?You’vewallowedinitformostofyourlife,likeaflyinsyrup!"

           Feesmiledbroadly,genuinelypleased.